On Saturday night Galactic closed out their four night run at Brooklyn Bowl with a show that did not skimp out on guests and kept the energy level escalating through the last notes played.

The evening started with an opening set from the High & Mighty Brass Band. The nine piece band (billed as parts NYC and parts New Orleans) played a horn heavy set that was loud, intense, and very funky. Of note was the verve exuded by the shirtless Ray Cetta on sousaphone, who held down a steady bass line all night. The set included a cover of “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”, which drew a great response from the crowd. At the end of the set the band made their way to the floor with their instruments where they formed a circle and played two songs (sans amplification), surrounded by those in attendance.

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At 10:30pm Galactic hit the stage for a near two-and-a-half hour set of music. The first hour and a half was what one expects from a Galactic show- instrumentals mixed with songs with vocals. Erika Falls who has been touring with the band this year is a true powerhouse on vocals; comparisons to Tina Turner are not unfounded. Songs with Falls included “Hey Na Na” from Carnivale Electricos, “Right Now” from their new album Into the Deep, and a cover of Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain” (also covered by Tina Turner) that took the full room to church. On the instrumentals the six piece band flexed their muscles in that they produced a sound that showed full cohesiveness as a band, but also the clarity for someone to be able to listen and pinpoint what each member is doing. Galactic is very democratic to those on their stage- everyone gets a chance to shine.

Towards the end of the show, Ben “We Love ‘Em Tonight” Ellman announced they would be bringing the High & Mighty Brass Band to the stage. It would be fair to expect just the horn section, but it was the full band (minus one horn player) that came to the stage, bringing a total to the stage of two guitarists, one drummer, two percussionists, one keyboard player, and seven horns (including a now-shirted Ray Cetta on sousaphone). The half hour of music that ensued was a pure party, driven by Stanton Moore’s tireless beats. This included a 20 minute version of the New Orleans staple “Ooh Nah Nay”, where Corey “BOE Money” Henry fronted on vocals. “Ooh Nah Nay” gave EVERYONE on stage a chance to solo, the highlight of which was the bass/tuba duel between Rob Mercurio and Ray Cetta. Without putting down Mercurio, when Cetta played part of his solo with no hands, he won.

The band started the encore with “Today’s Blues”, the closing track off of Into the Deep. It’s a vintage Galactic closing track, evoking memories of “Quiet, Please” or “Ash Wednesday Sunrise”. Many at the Bowl thought this would be the end of the show, but Ben stepped to the mic and noted that their friends who were supposed to be on their way to New Orleans had missed their flight, so instead of going home they were joined by Dumpstaphunk. Well, most of Dumpstaphunk- Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, Tony Hall, and Alvin Ford, Jr., who had performed earlier at the Peach Festival in Pennsylvania. A hallmark of New Orleans musicians is how seamlessly they can share a stage together and this night was proof of that. Two more songs that gave everyone one last chance to shine, and the four night run was over.

Here’s hoping that this continues the trend of becoming a regular thing, and that they return for another four (or more!) nights next year.

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Words by Andy Hollander, Photos by Djivan Schapira – B.a.D. Photography. Full gallery: